//------------------------------// // Chapter 80 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// Thunk-thunk. Thunk-thunk. I flicked one ear, but kept my eyes closed. I always found the sound of the wheels kind of comforting, but after three days of traveling, only stopping for coal and water, I was looking forward to returning home. Opening my eyes, I yawned before very, very carefully extracting myself from beneath Sparks wing. I had been awake for hours already, but about time I got moving. Sunset was curled up beneath her other one, leaving me free to slowly slip out of the bed and silently exited, closing the door behind me. The sun wasn’t even down yet, I didn’t want to wake them this early. Entering the ‘public’ area of the royal carriage, I spotted Rarity sipping a cup of tea across the table from a very drowsy looking Rainbow Dash. I smiled at them, “Good evening. And don’t worry, it’ll get easier.” “Good Evening. And I sure hope so, Prince Page,” Rarity said and put her cup down, “I haven’t done anything like this since the Summer Sun celebration last year.” “Only real trouble is turning things around, it gets easier,” I reassured her with a smile, “And it’s just Page.” Now I just need some… ah! Kettle! I crossed over to check that it was still hot before getting some tea ready for myself. “I suppose that’s true,” Rarity agreed. “What I want to know is why do everypony have to be awake during the night anyway?” Rainbow asked and pulled her coffee cup closer, her nose almost touching the hot liquid. Rarity sighed, “Because Nocturnis is primarily a Thestral town, Rainbow. Everypony is awake during the night and sleep during the day.” “Well,” I said and moved to join them with a cup of tea and a plate of fruit, “That’s not quite true. While Nocturnis has primarily Thestrals, there are plenty of ponies that’s not. But even so, not even all Thestrals are actually Nocturnal. Plenty have professions keeping them awake during the day, such as guards on day patrol or even ponies like bakers. Some even prefer it, even some thestrals.” Rarity nodded, “I suppose that’s true,” she admitted and sipped her tea before she looked thoughtful, “Now when you mention it, Pinkie Pie does get up way before dawn, even way earlier than Applejack. I really have no idea how she gets the energy.” My guess? Cocaine. Rainbow groaned, her head slowly sinking down to rest on the table next to her cup of coffee. “Not a morning pony?” I asked. “Not even slightly in the best circumstances,” Rarity said, sounding slightly amused as she reached out to brush Rainbows mane with her hoof, “I did say it was a bad idea not to take a long nap this afternoon, dear.” Rainbow grumbled something against the table before raising her head and yawned, nodding and taking a gulp from her coffee, “...Yeah, okay. I’ll go have a nap I think,” she admitted with a slightly sheepish look at Rarity, “Wake me in a couple of hours, Rares?” “Of course.” Rainbow Dash gulped down the rest of her coffee and headed towards the small sleeping cabins in the next carriage. “So, where are the rest? Still asleep?” I asked and used my magic to disassemble a mango into cubes. Rarity nodded, “I believe so,” she said before she glanced around and lowered her voice, “I got your message. Your order is ready and I have it all with me.” “Thank you,” I said with a smile, lowering my voice in turn, “I really hope I got the sizing spells right. Both Sunny and Sparks are different from when you measured them last. And it’s hard to cast anything on Sparks without her noticing, even in her sleep. Had to make it really weak.” The white unicorn nodded and smiled, sipping her tea, “Don’t you worry, I got a good look on both of them, you seem to have been fairly accurate. I’m sure they will love the dresses. If any adjustments need to be done, I brought what I need for it.” “You made them so I’m sure they will,” I told her with a smile. Hope they’ll like a new dress for the new founding day celebration. “What is the current fashion in Nocturnis?” “Mostly non-existent,” I admitted. Rarity looked aghast, “Truly!?” I shrugged my wings and ate a cube of mango with a smile, “Warm climate, humid air, usually rain several times a day. Hard to find something that works, especially when you work outside for a lot of the night. Most most ponies wear is some jewelry.” The white unicorn looked thoughtful, one ear flicking. The door to the bedroom opened and Sunset walked out, followed a second later by Twilight. “Evening,” I said with a smile, “Sleepyheads.” I earned myself a small glower from Sunset before she turned to the breakfast table to gather something to eat. Twilight crossed over and jumped up to sit next to me, leaning against me with a yawn, her head dropping against my shoulder. “What are you doing up so early?” she mumbled. “Woke up,” I answered and slipped my wing around her, nosing at her mane, “Didn’t want to wake you two.” Sunset set a pair of cups of coffee before them and then jumped up to sit by her other side, suppressing a yawn as she settled a plate piled with some sandwiches and fruit for them to share on the table, “Still having trouble sleeping on the train?” she asked me with a small frown, stealing a cube of my mango with her magic. “...A bit,” I admitted, “I think it’s the movements.” “I think I have an idea about that,” Twilight said, blinking her eyes fully open with another small yawn, “Can try it tomorrow,” before she looked across the table in slight surprise as if spotting the white unicorn for the first time, “Oh! Good evening, Rarity!” Rarity sipped her tea as she smiled, looking amused, “Good evening, Twilight. And you as well, Sunset.”